Ag Bonding Wire Composition for Stable Ball Bond Reliability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Ag bonding wires face challenges in high density semiconductor mounting with issues such as low bond reliability, neck damage, leaning failures, and poor ball bond stability under harsh conditions like high temperature and humidity, necessitating improved materials and manufacturing processes.

Innovation Solution

A bonding wire composed of Ag with specific additives like Be, B, P, Ca, Y, La, Ce, In, Ga, Cd, Ni, Cu, Rh, Pd, Pt, and Au, optimized through controlled atomic ratios and crystal grain sizes to enhance intermetallic compound formation, bond strength, and surface properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If Ag bonding wire is used to replace Au bonding wire for cost reduction, then material cost is reduced, but bond reliability and loop stability in high density mounting deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial costVSAvoidbond reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite material structure with a Cu core and Pd coating layer. The Cu core provides cost advantage and electrical conductivity, while the Pd coating layer provides oxidation resistance and improved bond reliability. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between cost reduction and reliability improvement in high density mounting applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Loss of substance

If Cu is used as bonding wire material to replace Au, then material cost is reduced, but oxidation resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial costVSAvoidoxidation resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a two-layer composite structure where Cu serves as the core material providing cost advantage and electrical conductivity, while Pd forms the outer coating layer providing superior oxidation resistance. This composite approach allows the bonding wire to achieve both cost reduction and maintained oxidation resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The Pd coating layer acts as a protective thin film shell surrounding the Cu core. This flexible protective layer prevents direct exposure of the Cu core to oxidizing environments, thereby maintaining oxidation resistance while allowing the cost-effective Cu material to be utilized.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Object-affected harmful factors

If Pd-coated Cu wire is used to improve oxidation resistance, then oxidation resistance is improved, but hardness increases after bonding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoxidation resistanceVSAvoidhardness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the Pd coating thickness parameter to be between 0.01 μm and 0.05 μm. By controlling this parameter, the bonding wire achieves sufficient oxidation resistance while limiting the hardness increase that would occur with thicker Pd layers. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between oxidation resistance and hardness control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides stable bond strength, prevents neck damage, reduces leaning failures, and improves ball bond reliability under high temperature and humidity conditions, ensuring a service life of 300 hours or more.

Implementation Method 1

the tip of the wire is heated to melt by arc heat input

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectArc heating: Electric Arc

Implementation Method 2

a ball is formed by surface tension

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension: Surface Tension

Implementation Method 3

this ball part is compression bonded on an electrode on a semiconductor chip heated to 150 to 300° C.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression bonding: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS12412864B2Bonding wire for semiconductor devices
Publication Date: 2025.09.09 NIPPON MICROMETAL CORPORATION

AI summary

Bonding wire for semiconductor devices contains one or more of Be, B, P, Ca, Y, La, and Ce in a total of 0.031 at % to obtain a 0.180 at %, further contains one or more of In, Ga, and Cd in a total of 0.05 at % to 5.00 at %, and has a balance of Ag and unavoidable impurities. Due to this, it is possible to obtain a bonding wire for semiconductor devices sufficiently forming an intermetallic compound layer at a ball bond interface to secure the bond strength of the ball bond, not causing neck damage even in a low loop, having a good leaning characteristic, and having a good FAB shape.